This invention concerns hanger supports for track rails. Hoists and other material handling devices are often supported on trolleys running along overhead track rails. Bridging track rails are sometimes used which support the hoists for movement in two directions, the bridge rails themselves movable on trolleys running along parallel line track rails.
The track rails are typically configured with a mounting tee flange at the top of the rail and clamping hanger brackets have been relied on to fix the track rails in position.
Recent safety standards sometimes require bolts extending through the holes in the vertical web of the tee flange. Installation of brackets requiring drilling of holes is more difficult since the bracket must be held during the installation.
Hanger brackets that have been used heretofore have used relatively heavy cast and machined parts, which are costly to fabricate.
Hanger brackets often use separate pieces, each engaging one of the tee flange webs, which can sometimes result in the load being carried by a single flange rather than insuring that the load be shared between both flanges.
A variety of types of support hardware have been used with such hanger brackets. For example, bridge hangers use pivoted posts which allow the ends of bridging track rails to move out of alignment.
Some installations use hanger bars supported on a cross tube received over a bolt passing through the hanger bracket. Other installations use swivel bolts holding a bracket plate.
This has required a variety of hanger bracket configurations, increasing the costs of manufacture.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hanger bracket for track rails which are able to be conveniently installed in either a clamping or bolted manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a common hanger bracket configuration which is adapted to a number of mounting styles and which is constructed of low cost formed sheet material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hanger bracket which insures shared loading of both sides of the rail tee flange.